Jill GreensethCindy Hudson (center) says book clubs have strengthened her relationship with her daughters Catherine (left) and Madeleine.Cindy Hudson is passionate about the power of mother-daughter book clubs. So passionate, that she wrote a book about it.

Hudson, a Portland-area writer and a Cedar Mill community correspondent for The Oregonian, is celebrating the recent release of "Book by Book: The Complete Guide to Creating Mother-Daughter Book Clubs."

With inspiration from her book clubs and from clubs around the country, Hudson walks readers through the ins and outs of developing mother-daughter clubs, with lots of suggestions for reading material, discussions and activities to adapt as groups grow and age.

Hudson started a mother-daughter book club with her daughter Madeleine, now 18, almost nine years ago and a few years later with her younger daughter Catherine, who is 15 and a sophomore at Sunset High School. Both girls' clubs continue to meet, although Madeleine's move this year to attend the University of Oregon has created a whole new set of logistical challenges.

Along the way, Hudson developed a Web site, www.motherdaughterbookclub.com. Hudson said visitors to the site were eager for information about what other clubs were doing and how they could start clubs of their own.

"The book was a place to gather it all together," Hudson said. "My vision was to have something to pick up and leaf through and refer back to over and over again."

My daughter is 10 now, an age Hudson says is ideal for starting a mother-daughter book club. Happy to share her passion for reading, Hudson offered this advice to moms like me thinking about starting a club.

(Answers have been edited for clarity and length.)

Q: What have been the greatest rewards of your own mother-daughter book clubs for you and your daughters? A: It's a way for us to connect on a regular basis. We have to schedule time to read the book. I still read out loud to them. ... Then we talk about what we read. We've had some of our best conversations about all kinds of issues in life when we talk about a book for book club.

Q: How has being in the clubs shaped your relationship? A: It's kept us finding things to do together. All moms are rushed with lots of activities. Sometimes we feel like we're spending time with our kids because we're driving them places or watching them at a practice or a game, but it's not really a shared activity. This is time that you're both participating in this activity. It's a nice way to kind of share the power in the relationship.

Q: What have been the biggest challenges for your book clubs? A: The biggest challenge was always knowing when to level up. Moving from PG books to PG-13 books. Usually the girls were the ones who pulled the moms up to it. The daughters were hearing things at school and said, "We have to read about this." ...

When you talk about what a character did, it's a safe way to have a discussion. You can say if you think the character made good choices. It keeps it from getting really personal. When you're in a group discussing that, moms get to see what their daughters' peers think, and the daughters get to see what other moms think, so it's not just that insular conversation in your own family.

Q: Your book outlines some of the precarious social dynamics that might arise, like whether or not to make book club invitations open or exclusive. Did you ever find yourself feeling like you were back on the playground? A: No. When we formed our groups, we included a mix of girls from different schools to expand the social circle. All of the girls knew someone, but there was such a mix, they had to blend and get to know each other.

Q: It's clear from your book that you love what the Portland area offers readers. What makes this place so special for families that love books? A: I think we have one of the best library systems in the country. ... We love hanging out at Powell's, and there are so many great independent bookstores where you can go get recommendations for something to read.

Q: What would you to say to busy moms trying to decide if a mother-daughter book club is worth the time and effort? A: I truly think mother-daughter book clubs change your life. There's no way you can quantify the benefits of this investment of a few hours a month. I can't imagine it's a decision you'd ever regret.

Most of the moms I talk to work full-time and find the time to do book clubs. They think it's one of the best investments they can make in knowing their daughter.